Arrow fletching fixture



y 9, 1961 J. T. MURRAY 2,983,293

ARROW FLETCHING FIXTURE Filed Sept. 8. 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

JOHN TIMOTHY MURRAY 61am. e 91:41,

Attorneys y 9, 1961 J. T. MURRAY 2,983,293

ARROW FLETCHING FIXTURE Filed Sept. 8. 1958 2 sheets sheet' 2 FIG. 5.

INVENTOR.

JOHN TIMOTHY MURRAY Attorneys United States Patent ARROW FLETCHING FIXTURE John Timothy Murray, 4905 Tonyawatha Trail, Madison, Wis.

Filed Sept. 8, 1958, Ser. No. 759,563

6 Claims. (Cl. 144-289) This invention relates to arrow fietching fixtures and more particularly to a fixture adapted to fletch arrows having helical feathers.

The recent increased popularity of archery has led to the widespread use of metallic arrows of varying length and diameter, and even of non-uniform shaft section. Arrow shafts ranging in diameter from 1 to /s inch and indlength from 20 to 33 inches are not at all uncommon to ay.

At the same time, it has become increasingly desirable to spiral the feathers on the arrow shaft to thereby cause the arrow to spin or rotate in flight. A high degree of accuracy can thus be obtained, a factor highly important in competitive target shooting as well as for hunting purposes.

Under these conditions, it is necessary for a fletching fixture or jig to be highly adjustable to handle this great degree of variance in arrow diameters and yet be accurate and simple in operation.

In the manufacture of arrows, a nock is secured to one end of the arrow shaft to receive the bow string. While the nock is aligned with the shaft sufiiciently to function properly during archery operations, it has been discovered that it may not be aligned sufficiently to be utilized as an arrow support during fietching. Previous fletching fixtures have utilized the nock for the primary arrow support, or have permitted the nock to interfere with proper shaft alignment.

With the increase in use of tapered arrow shafts, it has been desirable to provide a fletching fixture that could accommodate such shafts while maintaining alignment for applying helical feathers. To the inventors knowledge, no apparatus has previously been capable of supplying this need.

Furthermore, fletching to create helical feathers has previously produced inaccurate results in that the feather base was not securely and uniformly positioned on the arrow shaft throughout the feathers length.

The present invention solves the aforementioned problems and provides a fixture of greatly improved construction.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the best mode presently contemplated by the inventor for carrying out the invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a fietcher constructed in accordance with the invention and with parts in section;

Fig. 2 is a section taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a left end elevation taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1

Fig. 4 is a right end elevation taken on line 4T4 of Fig. l and with the arrow shaft in section;

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the fletcher of Fig. l, and with parts broken away and sectioned; I

Fig. 6 is a section taken on line 6-6 of Fig. l and showing the feather base tangential to the arrow shaft;

Fig. 7 is an end view of a difierent embodiment of nock holder with parts broken away in section; and

2,983,293 Patented May 9, 1961 Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the nock holder of Fig. 7 with parts broken away in section.

As shown in Figs. 1 to 6 of the drawings, the fixture of the invention comprises a frame having a base portion 1 which joins upwardly extending front and rear legs 2 and 3 respectively. Base 1 may be secured to a table or the like if desired. Legs 2 and 3 are shown as diverging outwardly and upwardly from base 1, with front leg 2 being substantially shorter than rear leg 3.

. An extension 4 is provided on the upper end of leg 3 and is disposed in spaced parallel relation to leg 2. A centrally disposed V-shaped groove or recess 5 in extension 4 is adapted to receive and support the shaft of an arrow 6 to be fietched. A single guide post or rail 7 extends upwardly from adjacent recess 5 for purposes to be described.

The upper end portion of leg 2 is slotted to provide a pair of parallel guide legs or rails 8 and 9, similar to rail 7, which merge inwardly at their lower ends into a V-shaped recess 10 which is adapted to support the nock end portion of the arrow shaft.

Each arrow 6 conventionally carries a nock 11 having an end slot .12 therein. In order to permit rotation of an arrow during fietching, the nock 11 is received in a nock holder, indicated generally at 13. Nock holder 13 is secured on the outer face of leg 2 and comprises a universal floating support block 14 secured by screws 15 for limited movement in all directions in a plane parallel to leg 2.

As shown in Fig. 3, there are two upper screws 15 which are threaded into leg 2 and pass through openings in block 14 which are substantially larger than the screw shanks to permit universal movement of the block. In addition, a lower screw 15a is received within an upwardly extending slot '16 in block 14. The heads of screws 15 and 15a are substantially larger than the shanks thereof and hold block 14 loosely against leg 2. The slot and screw arrangement permits unrestricted vertical movement of block 14, while partially restricting lateral movement of the lower end thereof, thereby preventing block 14 from rotating on a longitudinal axis.

The inner central portion of block 14 is provided with a recessed opening to receive the flanged inner end portion 17 of a cylindrical nock support knob 13. Flanged portion 17 is confined by block 14 and leg 2 and has a plurality of circumferentially spaced notches 19 on its periphery which selectively lockingly receive a springpressed ball 20. The ball spring 21 is disposed in a suitable bore in block 14 and is adjusted for tension by set screw 22.

The wall of knob 18 is provided with a pair of diametrically opposed openings, one of which is threaded, receiving a nock pin 23. The pin has a narrowed central portion 24 adapted to receive the nock 11 of an arrow 6 and to hold the same against rotation relative to the nock holder.

' Pin 23 may be readily removed and another pin inserted'where necessitated by the particular size of the arrow nock.

With arrow shafts of conventional diameter, the arrow is placed in the frame with the nock slot overlapping pin portion 24. In this position, the arrow shaft should engage both edges of both V-shaped recesses 5 and 10. The arrow axis will then coincide with the main longitudinal axis 25 running between the recesses. Any misalignment of nock 11 with the arrow shaft will not effect the arrow placement, since block 14 floats. The weight of block 14 will tend to keep the shaft in engagement with recess 10. Rotation of knob 18 will not shift the arrow For purposes of this disclosure, it will be understood that a uniform arrow has a perfectly straight axis and is not warped out of the desired shape.

To accommodate arrows of different diameter, it is necessary tovary the level at which the shaftof the ar- 'leg 3 and is provided with an angularlyextending section 27 parallel to the correspondingly angular extension 4 of leg 3. Member 26 is grooved to receive a pin 28 carried by leg 3, with the upper extent of the groove widened to receive a screw 29 also secured to the leg. With screw 29 loosened, member 26 may he slid vertically along leg 3, and may be shifted slightly laterally as limited by the screw shank in the event of small imperfections in the clamp apparatus, to be described.

A V-shaped groove or recess 30 is disposed in the upper end of section 27, and corresponds in size and shape to recess 5. For normal arrow shafts, the base of recess 30 would be in longitudinal alignment with those of recesses and 10, and both sides of all recesses would therefore support the shaft.

A corresponding adjustment is provided at lower leg 2 in the form of a member 31 secured to the inner face of the leg. provided with a centered recess 32 to support the arrow The upper end portion of member 31 is also .to be centered at all times and permit the arrow to be raised or lowered or moved laterally slightly relative to the frame for ptuposes to be explained.

The frame is adapted to support a feather clamp comprised generally of opposed spring-biased blades 35 operatively connected by a clip-like handle 36. The blades are twisted about their longitudinal axis so that the ends of the blades are disposed at an angle to one another and with the applying edges of the blades formed to wrap around arrow shaft 6, as shown in Fig. 5. Blades 35 will extend at an angle to axis 25. A feather 37 held in such a clamp will thus be correspondingly twisted and when glued to an arrow 6, and wrapped 'around and at 'an angle to its axis as shown in Fig. 6, will extend in a spiral or helical fashion along the shaft thereof.

'The precise amount of rotation of the arrow in flight is directly related to the degree of twist imparted to the feathers and with the apparatus of the invention a high degree of twist is possible. For example, it has been found that the clamp'may twist the feathers through an angle of 60 over a length of six inches.

It has been discovered that in helical fletching a slight- To provide full uniformity of feather application, the

feathers must bedisposed radially of the shaft axis for the full longitudinal extent of the feathers. As best processing. Base 37a is shown as rectangular and perpendicular to the feathers. By contouring the blade I edges so they wrap around a shaft,base 37a will be 'kept 4 tangential to the shaft circumference throughout, and feathers 37 will be radially disposed throughout.

Different contoured blades can be utilized for different arrow diameters, or the blade contour can be machined for an average diameter shaft.

Each end of one blade 35 supports guide engaging means in the form of a pair of grooved blocks 38. Guide rail 8 on leg 2 and the diametrically opposed rail 7 on leg 3 are adapted. to slidably receive the blocks and support the clamp whereby the lower edges of the blades wrap around the arrow axis and axis 25.

Downward movement of the clamp is limited by eccentric stop 'abutme'nts 39 disposed on the inner face of rails 7 and 8. The abutments are secured for rotation relative to the leg members by means of screws 40.

Abutments 39 prevent blades 35 from pressing down on the arrow shaft and accordingly there is no tendency to shift or bind the shaft within the frame- The abutments 39. may be rotated to adjust the clamp height radially from the shaft axis and permit the clamp to be accurately positioned in uniformly spaced relation relative to the arrow shaft and axis 25. Sufiicient clearance is provided between rails 7 and-8 and grooved blocks 38 to permit individual adjustment of either clamp end. A change in arrow diameter changes the position of the blade edges relative to the shaft surface. Base 37a would no longer be tangential to the shaft, and the feathers would not be radially disposed. Abutments 39 permit With the eccentric arrangement, one end of the clamp lowered when fletching an arrow having a tapered shaft to maintain the clamp uniformly spaced along the shaft axis, and at an angle to axis 25.

To fletch an arrow with the fixture of .the invention, members 26 and 31 are loosened and allowed to slide to their down position relative to legs 2 and 3. The arrow 6 is then positioned between the leg members and in recesses 5 and 10 with the nock end inserted into the pin of the nock holder. The holder is readily movable to allow the nock to be inserted with a minimum of effort. The feather clamp may now be positioned in the frame to initially ascertain what adjustments are required to align the clamp and the shaft. In the case of a relatively small diameter uniform arrow, it will be readily apparent thatthe arrow shaft must be shifted substantially toward .the clamp. Accordingly, members 26 and 31 are individually shifted and clamped adjacent their upper limit of movement while insuring at all times that the arrow shaft is accurately positioned against both edges of V- shaped recesses 30 and'32. The nock holder has sufficient universality of movement to permit raising the retained nock end of the arrow.

sired between the clamp and the arrow. The arrow axis is ideally disposed in coincidence with 'axis 25, unless the shaft 6 is not uniform.

In the case of a larger diameter arrow, members 26 and 31 are adjusted lower, so that the arrow axis will also preferably coincide with axis 25.

A feather 37 is now placed in the clamp with the feather base 37a pressed tangentially against the shaft throughout and to be adhered thereto as by glue. After the glue has set, the clamp is opened, slida'bly removed from the guide rails, and the nock holder rotated to the next indexed detent position to position the shaft for the application of a second feather. This process is repeated until a predetermined number of feathers have been secured to the arrow. In the usual case, a total of three or four equally spaced identical feathers will be secured to the arrow. Y

The eccentric adjustment provided at both ends ofthe frame permits positioning a. uniform arrow shaft so that its axis will continue to coincide with axis 25 upon ro tation thereof. Since nook 11 is supported in a universally floating member, any misalignment of the nock will not affect placement of the shaft axis during rotation thereof. Block 14 will merely shift vertically or laterally during rotation of the arrow.

The construction is such as to position each successive feather 37 on a radius of the arrow shaft, once the initial adjustments have been made for a particular type arrow.

Floating block 14 assures engagement of both edges of recesses 30 and 32 by the arrow shaft at all times, thus insuring proper axial alignment at all rotated positions.

An alternate embodiment of neck holder is illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8 and comprises a block 41 fixedly secured to the outside face ofleg member 2 by screws 4-2. Block 41 is provided with a centrally disposed opening to receive the tubular knob member 43, with the latter being flanged at 44 and with the flange loosely confined within the block to permit universal movement in all directions of knob 43 and flange 44 in a plane parallel to leg 2.

The proper rotative position of the arrow within the fixture is determined by aligning the axially extending equally spaced indicator index lines 45 on knob '43 with a similar line 45a on block 41. More than one-series of such lines may be scribed on the elements where it is desired to selectively fletch either three or four feathers on different shafts with the same fixture.

Various modes of carrying out the invention are contemplated as being within the scope of the following claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which is regarded as the invention.

I claim:

1. An arrow fletching fixture comprising, a frame member having a base and a pair of opposed legs extending generally upwardly from the base, a universally floating nock holder 'secured to one of said legs for receiving and rotatably positioning the nock of an arrow, support means secured to the respective legs for supporting the arrow shaft with said means being adjustable along the upward extent of said legs to accommodate arrows of different diameters, at least one of said means being additionally adjustable in a direction transverse to the leg, a feather holding clamp having guides at either end with said clamp being twisted about a longitudinal axis, guide engaging means associated with said legs for receiving the guides of said clamp to support said clamp at an angle to the axis of the arrow, and means on said legs for adjustably spacing said clamp in a radial direction from said axis to accurately position a feather held by said clamp against the shaft of an arrow held in said fixture.

2. An arrow fletching fixture comprising, a frame having opposed legs, a nock holder secured to one of said legs for receiving the neck of an arrow and rotatable to turn an arrow during fletching, support means secured to each leg and disposed to support an arrow shaft intermediate the ends thereof, each said support means including adjustment means permitting accommodation of arrows of diflerent diameter while maintaining the axis of a uniform arrow coincidental to a longitudinal axis of the fixture in any rotated position of the arrow, a feather holding clamp having guides at either end thereof and having blades extending at an angle to the axis of the arrow shaft and with the ends of said clamp disposed at an angle to each other for helical fletching, means secured to each leg for receiving said guide means, and adjustable stop means disposed on each leg to limit the downward movement of said guide means toward an arrow axis, said stop means and said blades permitting positioning of a clamped feather on a radius of an arrow shaft throughout the length of the feather.

3. Anarrow fletching fixture comprising, a frame having opposed upstanding legs, a neck holder mounted for substantially universal movement on the outer face of one of said legs, said nock holder receiving an arrow nook and having" a rotatable portion to turn the arrow shaft for applying a plurality of feathers to the arrow, each said leg having a substantially V-shaped recess with said recesses disposed in alignment with the longitudinal axis of the fixture, said recesses providing support of an arrow shaft inwardly of each end thereof, vertically slidable adjustment means on each leg to permit accommodation of diflerent diameter arrows whereby the axis of a uniform arrow coincides with said longitudinal axis in any rotated shaft position, a helical feather-holding clamp slidingly mounted on each leg and extending between the legs at an angle to the axis of an arrow disposed in the fixture, said clamp having a plurality of helically formed blades and with the edges of said blades contoured to wrap around an arrow shaft so that the feather base will be disposed tangential to the shaft throughout; and stop means mounted on each leg to support said clamp, each said stop means being vertically adjustable to maintain the contoured edges of said blades adjacent the surface of arrows of different sizes throughout the length of the clamp.

4. The fixture of claim 3 in which the nock holder comprises, a block loosely mounted on the respective leg face, and a rotatable member confined between said block and said face and universally movable with the block, the weight of the block being suflicient to maintain the arrow shaft in engagement with the adjacent recess.

5. The fixture of claim 4 in which each adjustment means comprises, a sliding member having a vertical slot, a recess in each sliding member for receiving an arrow shaft, and means secured to the respective leg and engageable in said slot to tadjustably guide said member in a vertical path, and each said stop means comprises an eccentric adjustably mounted on the inner face of the respective leg.

6. The fixture of claim 3 in which the nook holder comprises a block fixed to the outer face of the respective leg, and a rotatable member confined between said block and said face and universally movable in all directions in a plane parallel to said respective leg and relative to the block to permit accommodation of arrows having misaligned nocks.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,286,574 Rohde June 16, 1942 2,337,080 Bitzenburger Dec. 21, 1943 2,731,992 Lozon Jan. 24, 1956 2,836,208 Hoyt May 27, 1958 2,897,860 Martin Aug. 4, 1959 

